According to the memos obtained by the Associated Press, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to defend President Donald Trump during the first Republican presidential primary debate on June 13 and show emotion during his appearance.
The memos provide advice from two top DeSantis advisers — who are experienced in debate prep and messaging — on how DeSantis should approach the important opportunity to introduce himself to a national audience and differentiate himself from the other nine Republican candidates.
The advice in the memos suggest DeSantis must provide a laser-focused defense of the president’s performance while at the same time, “displaying a likable, warm persona” in the two-hour debate.
The memos send a clear message that simply attacking President Trump is not a winning strategy, and that DeSantis should focus on “painting a favorable picture” of the president’s performance while discussing topics such as the economy, immigration and foreign policy.
The memos also suggest that DeSantis show emotion throughout the debate. “If you can manage a genuine smile or a well-timed chuckle,” the memos read, “it will take the view up a notch and show that you have personality.”
It’s clear that DeSantis has a lot to prove in this first Republican primary debate, and his debate performance could make or break his chances in the upcoming presidential election. With the help of these memos, DeSantis appears to be well-prepared to make a strong impression on the debate stage.
